10 jobs axed as giant HMV closes for good
Huge sadness after store suddenly shuts down
The Ayr branch of HMV shutdown instantly as the new owner wielded the axe on 27 stores.
In fact it was the only provincial branch store in Scotland to be closed.
Ten jobs were lost and all stock shipped out to remaining stores, without any form of closing sale.
The unit has been locked up with no parting message on the door.
Canadian firm Sunrise Records has emerged as the buyer of HMV, beating competition including Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley.
The firm will buy 100 stores out of administration, securing 1,487 jobs.
But 27 stores will close, resulting in 455 redundancies, and including the modern unit in the Ayrshire Central mall.
About ten jobs are thought to have gone in Ayr, with one devastated staff member saying: “It all
happened so fast, we hardly had time to comprehend the situation.
“They obviously decided there was no the volume in sales to keep us open.
“We had to close on the day and everyone is very sad.”
The only other branded HMV to close in Scotland is the outlet in the Braehead mall in Glasgow, as well as the Fopp store in city’s Byres Road.
Sunrise Records chief executive Doug Putman said he was “delighted to acquire the most iconic music and entertainment business in the UK.”
No price was given. The administrators KPMG announced that the company’s flagship Oxford Street store in London, its first shop when it opened in 1921, is among the 27 outlets set to close. Manchester and Sheffield branches are also set to shut.
Ayrshire Central mall manager George Reader failed to comment as we reached our deadline.